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  What it means

  “Poverty with children, poverty without children too.” Having children brings hardship, but so does not having them. Life is difficult either way — there’s no easy path.

  Vocabulary

  • bieda — poverty, hardship, trouble
  • dzieci — children (plural of dziecko)

  Grammar note

  'Z dziećmi' — instrumental plural after 'z'. 'Bez dzieci' — genitive plural after 'bez'.

  Cultural context

  Reflects the pragmatic, unsentimental outlook of Polish folk wisdom on family life.

  Beginner

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